Digestive issues

In those dim, and increasingly distant days, when you felt bloated during your period, your stomach and intestines emptied at a slower pace in the latter part of your menstrual cycle - and this same digestive sluggishness can happen during menopause.

“Just Can’t Keep it in” Okay, we don’t think Cat Stevens was singing about digestive problems, but they can certainly happen during menopause.

Why now?

Oestrogen helps keep the stress hormone cortisol in check. But when oestrogen runs low, cortisol increases, raising both blood pressure and blood sugars which in turn slow digestion. The result: bloating, indigestion, acid reflux, painful abdominal cramps, constipation, diarrhoea, weight gain, flatulence and nausea. Sorry, the other bad news is that existing conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can be exacerbated by the menopause.